Hiraeth
by Vah Naboris
Summary: [Short Chapters/Vignettes] After a small mishap that turned out to be the final straw, an unblooded Yiga novice is sent on a mission with no return, which instead turns into a journey to discover who he really is... and save Hyrule maybe? [Yiga!Link AU]. **Due for a rewrite**
1. West Barrens — 2:45 PM Sunny

**West Barrens — 2:45 PM; Sunny.**

* * *

The apple was crisp, different. It was firm and sweet, but not by much. He rolled the piece he bit on his tongue once more, finding nothing unusual that would bring him to an early demise. Finally, he swallowed, surprised by this experience. Truly— he marveled— an apple was nothing like a banana.

He looked at the rest of the apples, perfectly shaped and even colored in a shiny red, just laying for the picking on the round, stone plate in front of the statue. Besides it, its guardian— a tiny, wooden creature— stared at him with anticipation.

What could it be thinking? He thought. The leaf-like mask did not really provide the creature with an expression.

He grabbed the remaining apples and placed them inside his satchel. The guardian spirit of the shrine merely watched him do this in silence. It seemed… delighted.

Technically, it had the right to punish him. The apples were not his to take. They were offerings for the Hero, and he, as a loyal servant of Lord Ganon, should be the last person to touch them. Instead, he saw it waddle into a happy dance, twirling the flowery twig it held on its hand.

"I can bring you more, if you like them. I know where to find lots of them!" it said. Its voice was like a child's.

What kind of a lousy guardian was this? He wondered, vanishing in a cloud of red powder and paper amulets, but by then, all stupefaction had left his mind in favor of newly thought recipes.


	2. Northeast of Gerudo Town — 3:25 AM Sunn

**Northeast of Gerudo Town — 3:25 AM; Sunny.**

* * *

Modifying the recipe had been simple enough. It consisted of wheat, cane sugar, and butter, except for the bananas, which the apples had now replaced. The resulting bread looked identical to the original recipe: soft, brown, and slightly greasy. It's taste though …wasn't nearly as good as he had hoped.

With a heavy sigh, he wrapped the leftovers in cloth. It wouldn't do to waste it, not when there were still miles of desert to cover.

Once the fire had been put out, he lifted his scarf enough to conceal half of his face. Even when disguised, it felt unnatural to leave it to the open. This time he was supposed to be blond, with warm, trusting hazel eyes, and a freckled round face.

He, of course, was but a young merchant on his way to the bazaar, hauling goods from the Frontier. Far too busy trading for scheming of any sort.


	3. Kara Kara Bazaar — 4:20 PM Sunny

**Kara Kara Bazaar — 4:20 PM; Sunny.**

* * *

It was a strange sensation. One moment he was in the bazaar, under the shadow of the palm trees, eyeing the stand with the bananas on display, and the next …he felt the inexplicable urgency to run.

It was strange because all he had done was to take one step, and it had sent his world out in a flash. The bazaar was no longer the bazaar, well… it was. Just… not the one he'd come to know. More crowded. But he couldn't have seen that, the noise was behind him.

He was running. Why? Miles away, there was a speck on the horizon. A person? His heart sped up, it felt like it was going to burst. Stop. The sand was holding him back, but he moved, hard, and it was starting to hurt his legs. He needed to move. Try harder. OhHyliaaboveIamnotgoingtomakeit.

And then he was breathing again. He didn't know he had been containing his breath. One in, slow, one out.

"…seen it, myself. I've heard they usually leave it in the throne room so everyone can see," he heard now, somewhere not far. A Gerudo soldier and a travelling man.

"Isn't that inviting risk? What if someone stole it?" was his reply.

"Don't be silly, who would steal from the Gerudo!" she had laughed.


	4. Karusa Valley — 6:35 PM Cloudy

**Karusa Valley — 6:35 PM; Cloudy.**

* * *

The Thunder Helm shone vermillion under the paper lanterns that illuminated the master's room. Kohga— potbellied, old, and balding (although no one could tell underneath his suit)— inspected the item in hands, marveling at its ornate gold design.

"And you brought this all on your own?" he asked the kneeling figure.

The boy, garbed in full suit and mask, nods.

"Wow then, uh, I guess this merits recognition, wouldn't it?" The master spoke, but it seemed directed to himself. Unnoticed, the boy nods energetically.

"Yes, yes," he continued, absentmindedly motioning for the boy to stand up. "I will bring this up at dinner. Good job, kid. It seems you pass. Out of all the stealing that goes on around here, you're the only one who thought of bringing this to us. I'm impressed!"

The boy rubbed the back of his head, feeling both elated and bashful.

"You weren't given rations to last the entire week, though," Kohga said quietly, locking the helm inside a chest. "How'd you get around that?"

If he'd been more wary, he would have noticed that something in the normally cheerful leader was off. However, the boy prided himself of his resourcefulness, recounting the apples he stole from the hero's offering stone, and all the volfruit and hydromelon he managed to scavenge.

_SMACk_

He blinked. Somehow… …he found himself …staring at the ground. His mask laid beside him.

Turns out, you're not allowed to eat anything other than banana. Even if you're out on a mission.

The following dinner was hell.


	5. Karusa Valley — 8:25 PM Sunny

**Karusa Valley — 8:25 PM; Sunny.**

* * *

Three days later, and his scalp still hurt from being dragged into the dinning hall. At that time, he could not decide if he should have tried to fight back or cover his face, which had been bare for every low rank to see. Remembering that night still brought humiliation to his heart. Angry tears threatened to gather and well over the corner of his eyes at the memory of the dozen or so dishes that was shoved to his face.

Banana pudding, banana pie, banana-rice, banana chips, banana milk… all while the master screamed at him to EAT! EAT!

However, today the master was kind to him. It was as if the mistake he committed had slipped their mind, as the leader slung an arm around him, talking to him in earnest about a mission and how he was absolutely perfect for the job, uh, tiny flaws and all.

He felt his heart swell back then. How forgiving Master Kohga was!

Now though, he felt the tiniest bit of uncertainty enter his mind.

"You're free to go," said a higher rank, opening the cell. "Take this and meet with Aya at the entrance, she will guide you until the pass."

He was handed a pack, no doubt filled with a disguise and everything he might need to survive. And a new mask, which he quickly put on.

Behind the man, two more higher ranks held a struggling Gerudo. She had a blindfold on.

"What is she doing here?" He asked, but the guard only told him to scram.


	6. Digdogg Suspension Bridge — 6:10 AM Sun

**Digdogg Suspension Bridge — 6:10 AM; Sunny.**

* * *

He'd never seen this much green in his life. There were the palm trees at the oasis, which in itself was the most amazing thing he had seen, besides the waterhole, so far.

There was a thousand times more water underneath the bridge here though, and the green colored way more than leaves in this country. It was on the ground, on the mountain, even some of the animals were green.

He initially thought that the entire desert was the world, with how infinite and open it had felt. This new land — Hyrule — it felt big, but most importantly, it felt alive.


	7. Regencia River, the Village Ruins— 8:15

**Regencia River, the Village Ruins— 8:15 AM; Sunny.**

* * *

He had risen with the sun and a chilly breeze, and the familiar-strange tinkling that wouldn't let him return to sleep.

The breeze moved the old, decaying wood slightly. Above him, the leaves of the tree rustled like the paper talismans hung outside the hideout, and somewhere, the faint treading of an animal could be heard.

Folding his blankets into his pack, he left to investigate this sound. The tinkling, like click of wood against wood, led him to the tired-looking tree.

He decided to climb it, only to find a rock.

"Yahaha! You found me!" a similar creature from before said happily, once the rock was removed. Then, in an astounded tone, "Wait. You can see me? Wow, no one has ever done this in 100 years!"

"But you're not Hestu," it said importantly. "If you see him, give him this."

It handed him a tiny seed and he instinctively held out his hand to receive it. Upon closer inspection, it smelled like shit.

"Tee-hee," the thing giggled, and vanished into the air.

Travelling with the breeze, the aroma of freshly baked goods blessed his nose.


	8. Outskirt Stable — 10:05 AM Rainy

**Outskirt Stable — 10:05 AM; Rainy.**

* * *

"What you're looking at there, traveler?" said a wizened voice.

He startled, turning to see the old man — Toffa — squinting at somewhere far ahead. From their viewing point, only the edge of the plateau was visible: a large, ancient wall, and some greenery on top of its cliffs. Of course, the heavy rain outside shielded its sight even further.

It was… weird, really, to see water fall from the skies now that he thought about it. H-he decided he liked it, though. It sounded like the falling sand back home.

"That's the Great Plateau," Toffa said after a beat of silence. "I can tell from the look in your eyes that you are planning to climb there, but I'll tell you now, traveler. Not one of those who tried made it out alive."

He considers this information with a frown. Who was this old man to tell him what he could or could not do? Instead, he makes his way deeper into the stable, to one of the tables in the corner. There he sits, tucking a dark strand of fringe over his ear (for today he was a treasure hunter: tanned and angular in features; with long, black hair tied high; and hooded, brown eyes), and brought the booklet there closer to him.

"…_the Weird and Wonderful Spirit Koroks!_" it read.

This perked his interest.

Maybe these creatures could be of use to him.


	9. Outskirt Stable, near Aquame Lake — 11:1

**Outskirt Stable, near Aquame Lake — 11:10 AM; Sunny.**

* * *

The sun made the water below sparkle. He squinted from his position, crouched near the base of the hill near the coliseum, in search of the fabled "fish" he's been hearing about. Besides him, one of the forest spirits makes him company.

"What's your name?" it asked, in hopes of breaking the ice.

Deciding there was no harm in indulging creatures that only he could see, he gently writes the Sheikah glyphs over the loose soil.

"P-perseverance," the Korok read aloud in Hylian. It turned to him to confirm.

He nodded.

The little creature made a pitying sound. "I thought parents are supposed to like their children."

Not so gently, he flicks a pebble at it.

"Ouch!"


	10. Southeast of the Coliseum Ruins — 10:45

**Southeast of the Coliseum Ruins — 10:45 PM; Blood Moon.**

* * *

The koroks, turns out, have a network spanning through the entirety of Hyrule, and they have agreed to help him keep an eye on any suspicious activity related to the Hero — on one condition:

"Wasn't that fun?!" the little spirit giggled. "I want to see you hit nine this time!"

He had to play whenever they felt like having their silly games.

Lying on the grass, he shook his head and placed an arm over his face. His duplex bow was left forgotten to his side. He'd lost count of how many tricks he performed to get the korok to accept crossing him over to the plateau.

"Can we go now?" He pleaded.

"Hmm? Oh! Sure. After you hit these targets."

He groaned but got up, readying his bow. That's when he noticed, the ashes of dark malice scattered in the air. It didn't take long for the crimson moon, like a second sun, to appear from behind the mountains, saturating the night sky in purple and vermilion light.

"Ugn, scary," the korok trembled at the sight.

Not him though, anticipation was readily felt throughout his being. It was on the rush in his veins, on his hairs standing on edge, on the quickening of his breath. He felt himself smile, unrestrained. His eyes wide, giddy. This was his communion with the Calamity. To him, it whispered promises of power. Chaotic. A multilayer of concepts engulfing his senses: recognition, acceptance, maybe love? But for now, it all sounded like nonsense he hadn't recognized that he craved. So drunk was he in this state that he nearly jumped when a second voice, unknown, reached out to him, imploringly.

"…nk. …Link!" the words were faint, muffled by the reverberating presence of the darkness.

He felt his heart sink. It was the same sickening urgency he had experienced at the bazaar. Guilt? Worry? He couldn't place it. Somehow, whatever it was the Calamity was saying didn't seem to be pleasant anymore.

WHAT THE HELL WAS HE DOING? He sobered, clutching his head. His breath hitched. A troublesome, shivery mess. It was as if a fistful of snow had been shoved down his back. Unsettled, he realized, for the first time, that he feared. Feared what? Disappointing? Who? Ganon? No! With a racing of his heart, he fought back. Shut his eyes and blocked the noise out, blocked the sensations out. The sound of the lovingly concerned voice only made the nauseated feelings inside him worsen.

Then, it was gone in an instant. The sky was clear, starry, and the night critters resumed their symphony as if evil never engulfed them at all.

He dropped to his knees, having felt weak. He needed to clear his head of the pain, to focus on his thoughts.

The princess was attempting to communicate with the Hero, and he had overheard the transmission, that much he understood. He turned towards the plains on the other side, a look of determination on his face. Now more than ever, he needed to get into that plateau.


	11. An Intervention

**I. An Intervention.**

* * *

"Mr. Hero is being weird," announced Peeks. The round masked Korok stared at the gathering of koroks. "He doesn't look or act like Mr. Hero at all!"

"He asked me if we can spy for him," supplied one timidly, starting a round of whispers.

"And he threw a pebble at me, too!" cried another; a brown, maple masked one.

The Great Deku Tree rustled his branches but offered nothing to the group. He did, however, make a rumbling sound.

"Settle down, everyone. I think we should give him some time," said the Korok Elder, Chio. His leaf moustache moved funnily with each word he spoke. "It's not the first time he's forgotten who he is, and on those occasions, it turned out fine."

"He calls himself Gam now," the same maple masked Korok bemoaned.

Chio deadpanned, "I thought parents are supposed to like their children."

"That's what I said!"

"Perseverance; quite the name to fulfill," the Deku Tree mused suddenly. He took in the presence of his children, before focusing on the middle of the grove, where the essence of the darkness sealing blade rested. "What harsh life must have been awaiting him, for his family to name him such."

"Do you think they knew?" asked Chio, worriedly. More than half of the koroks attending had already lost interest and had started to play 'Ring-around-the-Rosie' around the Master Sword instead.

"He would be dead had that been," the tree replied, as a bright flash of blue emitted from the sword, scaring the forest spirits away.

"He is lost and alone in this vast world," he continued. "We will watch over him, as we have done before."


	12. At the edge of the Forest of Spirits

**At the edge of the Forest of Spirits, near Hopper Pond — 6:00 AM; Sunny.**

* * *

When the korok flew him over, the first thing he noticed, once his feet touched the ground, was the unnatural serenity of the place.

Below, even with the lack of people, something was always going on. Birds flew in groups, passing over by. He would occasionally hear their cries. A wind would softly stir the grass, the trees, his hair over his eyes. It would lift dust over the path he traveled and send flower petals towards the opposite side. An animal would maybe follow him, in hopes for the bits of the snacks he left behind.

But up here, he didn't know what to make of it. It just felt wrong, somehow. Melancholy settled in his eyes.

"Aww, are you crying?" the korok reached up to pat his knee.

"No, _you're_ crying," he told it, with a frown and irritation in his voice.

The korok gasped. "I _AM_?"

It placed it stubby hands over its mask, feeling for moisture.

He looked at the creature quizzically before shaking his head and deciding to follow the plateau's fortified edge. If there was a building left intact, he would investigate, he reasoned. The Hero could be hiding anywhere in this place.


	13. Meanwhile

**II. Meanwhile**

* * *

Barta racked her brain for a solution. Any really. But so far, her options of escape were… nowhere to be found. The guards patrolled the area every fifteen minutes. How far they surveyed or how many were they, she couldn't say. The location of the cell she was in only allowed her to see the entrance (to the room or the hideout?) and the guards all looked the same. For all she knew, it could be only one of them watching, or five.

The ropes binding her hands weren't cooperating with her, either. Frustrated, she eventually stopped trying to untie them, and slumped on the wall. The patrolling clansman paused his round to stare at her for a second before resuming his routine.

Once he was out of sight, Barta blew a raspberry at him. The small pleasure was short-lived.

Oh, how she longed to be home! Romah's special spa plan sounded heavenly about now, she thought. A beat or two of silence. She wondered if anyone has noticed she's been missing.

Wincing, he answered herself with a 'maybe not'. When she left, every sister had been busy, searching for the Thunder Helm.

The sound of voices brought her out of her self-pity. She quieted her breaths, listening intently:

"Another member has been caught questioning master's methods. He intends to send them on a '_mission_' to Hebra," she heard.

"Hmm, poor for them. They'll freeze to death before they reach the rendezvous point at this time of year."

"Precisely."

"It what these lower ranks deserve for not staying in line. They forget themselves." A pause, "What's the news on that other kid, have you heard? Last thing we need is him coming back."

"Jian saw him leave Outskirt Stable. One of the hands there said he was going to climb the plateau. That was two days ago, no one has seen him since."

"Ah, well, his body will turn up eventually."

The conversation tapered until they were out of earshot. Barta counted herself grateful for being born Gerudo. The Yiga were a ruthless bunch.


	14. Temple of Time — 7:45 AM Sunny

**Temple of Time — 7:45 AM; Sunny**.

* * *

"Hey, Olli?"

The korok stood to attention at its name, not that he could see it (he was facing the other way, after all) but he could sense its interest.

He was taking in the sight of the ruined courtyard, specifically, the only standing window and the steps leading to it. The familiarity of it released another wave of sorrow in him. This sort of thing happened to him a lot lately. Needing a distraction, he focused on the blueness of the sky instead. "Do you know anything about this place?"

"Here? Hmmm…" it waddled a few steps, facing the decayed Guardian by the wall. "The Deku Tree once mentioned that it's sacred."

"Sacred?"

"A lot of souls live here."

Chills travelled down his spine, if the dead resided here that would explain the stillness around them.

Olli watched him. It tilted its head, "Are you okay? You're sad all the time."

Hesitating, he wondered if he should confide in the little creature.

"Certain places move things inside me," he said, heading out of the courtyard to explore the area above.

Olli followed, "Memories does that to you."

He stopped midway up the hill. What was it talking about?

The korok clarified its logic, "Whenever someone's having a good time, or feeling bad, the memory of it lingers in the place. That's why, whenever someone sees something familiar enough, the memory pops into their mind!"

"That… doesn't make sense." He told it. For it to work, it would imply being there before, which shouldn't be possible. Right?

Something caught his attention at the periphery of his vision.

A dark, hooded figure stood on the cliff at the other side of the pond. It waited there for a few seconds, observing him, then, it walked away.


	15. The Old Man's Point of View

**III. The Old Man's Point of View**

* * *

Illusions do not work on the dead. Despite the distance, Rhoam Bosphoramus had known the young man was Yiga from the scarlet bodysuit and white mask. Perhaps others would have been fooled; those intense, brown, deep-hooded eyes could have bothered anyone if stared at for too long. Yet, what disturbed him, and this was rare coming from someone who's gone without feeling for a hundred years, was the uncanny emptiness that emanated from the inverted eye that lied underneath the glamor.

This Yiga had the nerve to stand before him. No weapon had been drawn, but the man regarded him, as if he was determining whether he should.

The old man chuckled. He found that he cared not what this guy did.

"What brings the like of you here, _traveler_?" he played along.

The Yiga tensed, "I'm in a hunt… for treasure."

Rhoam gave him a noncommittal grunt in response and moved to prod the fire. Its flames licked the skin of the apples he'd laid out, just so, for them to cook without being burnt. The apples sizzled; its juices having traveled along its softening flesh.

The other's swallowing of saliva was barely audible. The sweet aroma of fruit lingered between them, tempting for a bite.

"You will not find much in terms of valuables," said the old man. "This place's been abandoned for years. Anything of worth has already been taken."

He uses his stick to bring an apple closer. It rolls delicately to his feet.

The Yiga observes this with the eerie impassiveness granted to him by the mask. Then, glances at the remaining apples, to later move on to the apple tree nearby. The young man looks at the apples there, lost in thought, as if recounting a memory. It didn't take him long to notice the winding path next to it that led uphill.

He started towards it.

Rhoam stood up. "You'll never be able to open it, cur!"

In a swift turn, Gam of the Yiga Clan hurled a vicious sickle at the old man. It broke on impact, but the late king of Hyrule was gone.


	16. Great Plateau — 1:30 PM Sunny

**Great Plateau — 1:30 PM; Sunny**.

* * *

He tried everything: levers, secret openings, all the explosives at his disposal. The entrance to the Shrine of Resurrection remained shut.

Olli cheered him on from the sideline, even as he knelt on the grass, ready to give up.

"There has to be a way to get in there," he muttered.

"Nope! There's only one key~," Olli said in sing-song, pointing at the entrance.

He groaned, letting that implication to sink in. The korok waddled towards him and patted his head.


	17. Forest of Spirits — 5:10 PM Sunny

**Forest of Spirits — 5:10 PM; Sunny.**

* * *

So maybe being stuck here wasn't that bad, he decided, tending to the large pot over the fire. He munched on a banana as he was doing this. His mask, for once, laid beside him, seemingly forgotten.

Olli watched all of this with curiosity. The korok had never had the chance of seeing his face before. Instead of inky, black hair, his natural color was a stark white, like snow. His own eyes were not the rich brown it was used to seeing, but a pink red similar to the color of wildberries. His features, while not necessarily delicate, were not intimidating at all.

"Like a bunny," whispered Essa, a korok from a nearby tree, who had joined them as soon as he discovered it hidden in a pile of leaves.

Olli agreed wholeheartedly with a hum. Bunnies made for great warriors, it thought.

The sound of the ladle scraping the pot, and woodland birds provided them company as they waited in comfortable silence for the food to be done. Koroks don't really have a need to eat (as they relied on the sun for their nutrients), but they never passed a chance to use this time to gather and be social.

He was halfway through a second banana when he finally noticed them.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Mushrooms!" Essa said, lifting the three specimens in its stubby arms. A green one, a pale one, and one that was red with large, yellow dots.

"They're for food," Olli explained upon seeing his expression morph into one of confusion. It also was carrying things: two bird eggs and a small rock of salt.

He eyed the items distrustfully as he scooped up the pudding he made, cleaning the wok for his companion's use. He had learned his lesson a while back, thank you very much. Yet, when the smell of the eggs and mushrooms reached him, he couldn't help feeling curious.

An apple had been nothing like a banana. He cleared his throat.

"So, when are they coming?" he said, moving his banana pudding around with a spoon.

"Two more days," replied Olli, who was assisting Essa by holding the plate while the other struggled to scoop their mushroom omelet in with the oversized ladle, "Nunu, Tumi, Moni, and Oko are having trouble with the keg."

"It's a very BIG keg," Essa chimed in.

He frowned and continued playing with his food. He was going to run out of bananas at this rate, waiting for this 'Goron Powder' stuff to arrive.

He was startled out of his stirring when Essa and Olli settled next him, placing their dish on top of his outstretched legs. "W-what are you doing?"

"We're making you company, Mr. H—, um, Traveler," said Essa. "You seem troubled."

Olli turned to him and tried mimicking a frown.

He chuckled softly. Olli didn't even have a face to frown with.

"I'll be running out of food soon," he told them, stirring his pudding once again. Had it always looked this unappetizing?

"We can find some for you!" Olli was quick to offer. Essa nodded vigorously.

He shook his head at them, "I can only eat a certain thing. Clan rules."

"Your clan sounds very strict, Mr. Traveler," Essa said with concern.

"It's pretty laid back actually," he said with a tiny smile, childhood memories surging as he spoke, "most of our training consists of tournaments, and we play games at dinner time. Master Kohga often joins us, showing us his magicks. And on blood moons, we sing and dance around a great pit in our hideout until the sun comes out. There's music all night and everyone is joking around and laughing. Those are actually my favorite…" he stops himself, schooling his expression into one of neutrality. They weren't supposed to know that.

Olli places a stub on his knee, "Then you should come with us to Korok Forest one day. We practically do all that and more!"

"Oh! Everyone would love to meet you!" said Essa, who was sneakily inching the omelet closer to him.

He then listened as they went on about their haven, and their other hundreds of friends, pausing when they realized that he hadn't had a chance to reply.

"I would love to visit your domain," he said, sending them into cheers. Surprisingly, he found that he meant every word. He took a bite out of his food, only to realize it was the mushroom omelet. So mouthwatering delicious, so unlike an apple, or a banana.


	18. Forest of Spirits — 2:45 AM Cloudy

**Author's Note: The Deku Tree's words are a quote from Mary Anne Radmacher.**

* * *

**Forest of Spirits — 2:45 AM; Cloudy.**

* * *

"_Happy birthday, Mr. Hero_!" the group of forest spirits cheered, peeking out of their hiding spots all at once. Someone popped out late, echoing the last part.

Link laughed, watching over his tiny friends with smiling eyes.

"_We heard things were a bit rough at the castle_," Chio walked up to him, "_so we organized this small gathering to cheer you up._"

Rough was an understatement, Link thought, mood slightly dampening, but focused on not letting it show. The Master Sword felt warm on his back.

"_Do not dishearten, young hero_," the Deku Tree said. "_Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes it is the quiet voice at the end of the day, that says, "I will try again_."

His words were met with cheers of agreement.

Gratitude overwhelmed the usually stoic knight. He reached towards an unsuspecting Chio, completely enveloping them in a hug. The korok elder chuckled, once the shock passed.

"_Group hug_!" someone called, and the koroks descended for just that. However, he found himself not surrounded by them, but this one guy: a Goron. And a Rito. And a Zora. A Gerudo. And…

"_Open your eyes_."

He woke up, but he didn't mean to. His heart shrunk, as if it had been squeezed all of a sudden.

The warmth he felt inside the dream faded with the cold of the late night, leaving him to desperately search for that feeling among his memories, only to forget what he was looking for in the first place. He figured it must have been homesickness, for he had been talking about his home hours ago.

He closed his eyes and wondered until sleep took over.


	19. Great Plateau — 9:10 AM Rainy

**Great Plateau — 9:10 AM; Rainy.**

* * *

Just for the record, it was all Olli's fault.

They had been looking for mushrooms to cook this morning. Essa had left them to check on the other's progress with the powder keg.

"Are these safe?" he asked, showing it the red with yellow dots ones he found near a boulder. Olli shouted that they were okay from one of the trees way over yonder, too far away to actually see what he was doing, and he had mindlessly walked towards the boulder to pick the mushrooms… which resulted in his current situation.

He was being chased by a Talus.

"They don't usually get that far!" cried Olli from behind a rock.

Well, apparently this one did, and he was having trouble shaking it off his trail. He dived behind some trees, barely avoiding being hit by the golem's rocky arm.

"Do you still have your boom-thingies?" he heard Olli holler.

The answer was 'yes', but they wouldn't do much damage in this wretched rain. His only option was to run, which he did, up until the Shrine of Resurrection.

He was relieved to find that the Talus hadn't actually made its way up the hill, instead opting to remain at the clearing below the cliff, where it launched it arms at him to no avail.

"Ha!" he mocked it from his spot.

The Talus retaliated with a well-aimed boulder.

"Don't taunt it!" Olli whined, but he wasn't paying attention to it. The Talus' arm had hit the entrance to the Shrine of Resurrection, shaking it to its core. It cracked and crumbled, opening with a chime that sounded like _da-da-da-da-na-na~_.

"No, wait! Wait! LINK!" Olli scampered behind him as he darted like a man possessed into the shrine, spare sickle unsheathed.

This was it! The thought raced through his mind. This was the Hero's end! All the honor and glory would be on him. Master Kohga would finally love him and so would the rest of the clan! He would see them all dancing and singing soon, smiling as he brings the Hero's severed head to their den.


	20. Memory

**IV. Memory**

* * *

"Why are they acting like that?" he asked his sister as they passed a few members of their clan who were giving them the stink eye. She was not fazed by their behavior.

"To their eyes, we are not Yiga." She replied calmly, "At least, not yet."

"But we are!" he exclaimed indignantly.

She shushed him. Dinner had already finished, and many were now returning to their dorms for the night, them included.

"You and I, yes…" she started.

"Then why?" he continued to pout. Really, he was just too _young_. "Those people are just being dookie!"

She smiled, ruffling his hair, "You'll show them. I believe you will."

They turned around a corner, right where their dorm was located. They faced the door, and he wondered why they were lingering. She nudged him to go in. It would be had been alright— she usually stayed out to hang around with friends— hadn't he felt as if it was the last he would see of her.

"You're… not coming in?" he said softly, uncertainly.

She winked. It didn't suit the atmosphere. He knew she was pretending for his sake.

"Don't tell, Mom. Okay?"

Is it because they're mean to you? he thought. He had wanted to cry, but nothing came out. Good. A good Yiga soldier keep their emotion in check. That didn't deter his voice from wobbling though. "You will come see me, right? You'll come back?"

"I'll try not to do that, if I can," she replied with honesty, blending into the shadows of the valley and vanishing by the time dawn broke out.


	21. Shrine of Resurrection — 9:15 AM Rainy

**Shrine of Resurrection — 9:15 AM; Rainy.**

* * *

It… it made sense now, he thought, as his breathing calmed somewhat, and he lowered the sickle to his side.

The body inside the chamber, although well preserved, was about a century old and nothing but dried ashen skin over bones. Most of its hair had fallen off, but clumps of hay-like hair remained on its head. Despite this, there was no mistaking.

He and the Hero could pass as relatives.

This similarity, paired with his family history, why, it was no wonder he struggled to prove himself to his people. Why he was often left to his own devices. Why nothing good was ever expected of him! Even though he was loyal! More loyal than his grandfather! More loyal than his uncles! More loyal than his mother and father even! And certainly more loyal than any of his sisters ever were!

He seethed, clenching his fingers around the sickle until they hurt; clenched his teeth until his jaw hurt.

He felt tears trickle down his cheeks and he let out a feral scream as he struck the mummified body a first time, then another, and another, and another until several holes had been poked on its skin.

Olli watched from afar, too terrified to get near him in this state. The korok sobbed in its corner, not knowing what to do. An urge to yell '_stop hitting yourself!'_ was present, but it recognized that now was not the time for dumb jokes.

"Please..." but it didn't get to finish. He had already turned towards it. Betrayal shone within his watery eyes.

"You knew, didn't you?!"

Olli hiccupped but nodded. He was not supposed to open the shrine until all the others were here to help him regain his memories back. He was not supposed to die and appear in another body in the first place! A wave of sadness overcame the korok. It was as if he had lost his friend all over again.

Now it was Link's turn to observe. As angry as he felt, as confused, as hurt as he feels, the sight of the weeping forest spirit didn't sit well with him. He let out a shivery sigh, throwing away his sickle and reached for his mask, only to realize that he wasn't wearing it. He must have left it under that tree by the cooking pot, he mused wearily. It didn't matter anyway.

Link walked towards the little creature and knelt to its level, giving soothing circles on its back until the tears stopped flowing.


	22. Great Plateau — 1:00 PM Cloudy

**Great Plateau — 1:00 PM; Cloudy.**

* * *

"What are you going to do now?" Essa asked him, sounding as if it was still trying to process what it had just been told.

Link shrugged, tying the Sheikah Slate onto his belt. "Go back, I guess."

He glanced at the others: Nunu, Tumi, Moni, and Oko, who were standing next to the boulder sized powder keg, looking confused as to what was going on. He made sure to give them a friendly smile for their efforts. "The clan is not all that bad, and its… the only home I know…" he added.

Essa nodded, accepting his reasons but clearly disagreeing.

"You'll take care of him, won't you Olli?" it asked the maple-masked korok.

"Until he's safe in his valley," it confirmed, already looking better in spirits.

They bid goodbyes to the group and went on merry their way.

It wasn't until they were out of sight that Tumi turned towards the powder keg and exclaimed: "Great! Now we have to haul this thing back!".

The other koroks groaned. It was going to be one long trip to Goron City.


	23. Gerudo Desert Gateway — 5:25 AM Sunny

**Gerudo Desert Gateway — 5:25 AM; Sunny.**

* * *

"You know, we _really_ mean it when we said that you're welcome to Korok Forest," Olli told him, as they stopped under the naturally formed archway of the Gerudo Desert Gateway. Before them was what seemed to be the beginning of a very windy day, as the red dunes shifted places every so often and dust was starting to partially obscure their view.

Link smiled at the offer, but if he was being honest to himself, he didn't feel like making that journey at the moment. However, he wasn't in a hurry to return to the Yiga either.

He frowned. This… was a troublesome feeling.

Despite his words claiming that life with the Yiga wasn't bad, well, it had been clear to him for some time that he wasn't well liked within the clan. He had completely severed all ties with his traitorous family and even underwent several trials in an attempt to gain favor, all of this with varying degrees of success.

But it wasn't enough, was it?

The slate hanging on his hip seemed to weigh more in that instant.

He… could still return a hero, right? He thought with despair. Even though he was unable to kill the Hero, the Hero was dead. And, and he had the Slate. No one would be able to defeat the Calamity if they did not have the Beasts at their side!

He thumbed the device, pulling it out of its holster. As expected, the screen came to life, but it remained empty except for a little golden dot. The instructions on the left corner read: "Follow the Sheikah Slate".

Link sighed. Who was he kidding? He was wandering about the desert without a mask, low on supplies, without a purpose, and now, with nowhere to return. If he went back, the chances of being deposed of were high, and if he didn't…

Leaving the clan was punishable by death.

Never enough, Link paled. Nothing he did seemed to be enough for these guys.

"H-hey, are you okay?" Olli tugged at his suit in worry.

No, Link had wanted to tell it, but they were interrupted by mocking laughter.

Three Yiga foot-soldiers and blade-master surrounded them, appearing in an instant among clouds of red smoke and paper spells. They were all armed with Demon Carvers.

Even though no one could see it, the korok hid itself behind Link's legs. Meanwhile, the boy's breath hitched. How had they known he was here?

They approached him in a circle, as if they were coyotes stalking their prey. It was then that one of them noticed the slate on his hip. "Is that…?"

The blade-master shook their head. "Master Kohga was right in suspecting you," he spat venomously, "Acting all dutiful when in reality you were trying to dismantle us from the inside!"

"That's not what I…" Link tried to explain himself, but two of the foot-soldiers had lunged in for the attack. He reached into his pack for a weapon but having broken one sickle and forgotten his spare on the Plateau, all that was left for him was his duplex bow. With no time to knock an arrow, he swung the bow at one of them, clubbing them on the side of their head and knocking them out of balance, while managing to dodge his second assailant.

The third foot-soldier was readying their bow when they were hit by pellets. "Ow! What the…?"

Unseen, Olli hovered above the Yiga, spitting the golden pellets through a reed.

"You can't fight all of them, Mr. Hero. You gotta get out of here!" it said.

Link didn't need to be told twice. Swiftly, having covered some distance, he shot one of the foot-soldiers on their chest and ducked under the massive swing of the blade-master's Demon Carver. Time seemed to have slowed as the battle heightened his senses. With a quickened pulse, he snatched a handful of paper amulets from the blade-master's pouch. It was all he dared to do before making the run.

"Olli!" he called behind him.

The little korok terrorized the Yiga archer one last time by throwing the reed at their head and flew towards its friend. By the time it caught up, Link had already activated the paper spell and they both disappeared in a cloud of red smoke.


	24. Forest of Spirits — 5:35 AM Sunny

**Forest of Spirits — 5:35 AM; Sunny.**

* * *

The smoke dissipated into the air, leaving him with the quiet surroundings of the forest and the soft crackling of a fire. Link looked around him, disoriented at first, but he quickly began to recognize the cooking pot and the log in which Olli and Essa had first introduced him to the wonder that was mushroom omelet.

With a start, the young man searched for his little spirit companion.

Nothing.

It seemed like the korok had not reached him in time after all.

Link was about to lament this when he heard the dry chuckle of an old man behind him. Turning around, he found the ghost from before, siting near the cooking pot. It seemed as if it had just woken up from a nap.

"Back so soon?" the old man said, "_Fiend_."

Link frowned at his hostility. His only friend was gone, and this guy was picking a fight, now?!

The loud chime of the slate caught his attention. Link took it out, as it had never done that before, and stared at its screen. The empty map had zoomed in and it appeared as if the location of the golden dot was closer than he had imagined.

"It seems you have managed to open the shrine after all," the old man asked, undeterred by the cold treatment he was receiving. "What do you intend to do with that?" he nodded towards the slate.

Link ignored him and began walking east, unknowingly, towards the ruins of a half-buried tower.

"How curious," Rhoam mused out loud, watching him pass by. A beat of silence, "what is your name, boy?"

"Nonya," Link replied instantly, eyes fixed on the screen.

The old man chuckled and left it at that. He once had a teenaged daughter, you know.


	25. Great Plateau Tower — 6:00 AM Sunny

**Great Plateau Tower — 6:00 AM; Sunny.**

* * *

'Try… try to remember…' he heard her say, and Link felt himself collapse by the stone pedestal on that tower, holding on while the earth jerked and trembled as Ganon rose from his prison. The sight of his Lord had left him speechless and in awe, for the beast was a majestic force of its own: an all-encompassing storm.

He shuddered.

Had he, the idiot who did anything and everything to be accepted, seen this two months ago, he would have interpret it as a sign of some…design and would have definitely ended his mortal suffering to reunite with the dark lord (fOR gANON lOVED tHEM aLL, hE wOULD hAVE aCCEPTED hIM aS fLAWED aS hE iS), but the idiot today, the one who was no longer Yiga and was but a mere ghost of the Hero his spirit friends thought he was, didn't particularly feel anything towards the Calamity. Neither love nor hate.

In fact, this ambivalence felt exactly like watching a storm: cautious, but appreciative. And as soon as the princess locked it away, like a sun parting rain clouds, he contemplated the calm that came after, basking in how refreshed he felt.

A clean slate.

Of course, the ghost of the old man just had to shatter his moment.

"The voice; you can hear it."

Link stood up, flustered to have been caught vulnerable, and quickly stowed the Sheikah Slate. "Do you always make it your business to poke where you're not wanted?"

"I was just curious as to why _you_, in particular, should be the one to awaken the tower. And I see that I have gotten my answer." Rhoam said in his defense, tapping the ground once with his walking stick. He added, "The goddess certainly has a way of planning things."

Two months ago, Gam of the Yiga would have sneered at the mention of the goddess' as was the teachings of the clan, but today, Link only raised an eyebrow. He also felt neither love nor hate for Hylia.

"I should be leaving," he told the king instead, as the slate beeped once again, displaying a new objective: "Seek Out Impa".


	26. Epilogue: Sometime Later in the Futur

**A/n: When I started, I told myself I would write this story without drafts, without outlines, with a vague idea but no plot. This was the product of that experiment... yeah, now I see why all of those are important lol XD. Thank you all for reading!**

* * *

**V. Epilogue: Sometime Later in the Future**

* * *

**Kakariko Bridge — 9:05 AM; Sunny.**

He felt more than he heard the tinkling sound that accompanied the presence of koroks this time. He was getting better at finding them.

Link, now donning the Sheikah armor of his ancestors, peeked under the bridge, where, yep, there was definitely a forest spirit hiding inside that circle of rocks. It would be tricky, but he was confident in his skills, and on his second try, he managed to toss a rock into the circle, revealing a long, oval leaf-masked korok.

"Yahaha! You found me!" it giggled. "Here, Catch!"

It tossed one of its seeds, which Link caught gracefully and quickly pocketed. The smell was not something he could ever get used to, he thought.

"What's the latest?" he asked. The korok became stiff, mimicking a soldier at attention giving off report.

"Yiga spies are gathering more often at stables and setting up traps at the bigger roads; you'll have to travel off the beaten path for now on. We're keeping watch like the Great Deku Tree told us to, but..." the korok started to whimper, "some of us are getting worried. It's not safe for you to go alone."

Link laughed. He was touched by how much they cared for him. "I'm never alone, silly! I've got this, remember?" He said, pointing out the Master Sword on his back. "Besides, Zelda and you guys are always watching over me."

The korok's mood brightened. "That's right! Gotta make sure you don't blow yourself up and stuff."

"Hey! That was one time," he chided good naturedly. The Sheikah slate chimed, it must have already sensed the ingredients he needed for healing potions. Good. "Adventure's calling…tell Olli I said 'hi', yes?"

"Aye, aye, capt'n!" the korok saluted before vanishing with a _Poof!_ Link shook his head and, with a few taps on the slate, did the same. He had a job to finish, after all.

Three Divine Beats down, one to go.


End file.
